The city of Crato, in northeastern Brazil, has just inaugurated the world’s largest statue dedicated to Mary. The astonishing monument towers 54 meters (177 feet) into the sky—taller than Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro (98 feet). Standing at the height of a 15-story building, this colossal structure dominates the landscape and can be seen from miles away in every direction. This mega-monument is one of the tallest religious statues in the world. Its sheer size and towering presence are designed to inspire deep Marian devotion from the people and to establish this location as a major destination to venerate Mary.
What is happening in Brazil is precisely what King Nebuchadnezzar did on the plain of Dura. In Daniel 3, the Babylonian king erected an enormous golden image—90 feet tall—a tower designed to dominate the horizon and capture the loyalty, reverence, and obedience of the people. It was a monument to apostasy, demanding worship and allegiance under threat of death. By erecting this image that exalted human religious tradition above the authority of God, Nebuchadnezzar sought to define and unify the faith of the entire world under his command.
Likewise today, colossal religious monuments serve as powerful instruments to shape belief, unify the people, and condition society to accept human authority in matters of worship—just as it was in ancient Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar’s image represented the union of political power with enforced religious devotion. In the same way, the coming final crisis will once again revolve around worship—worship that human authorities will attempt to legislate. The growing exaltation of man-made religious traditions, especially the global push to elevate Sunday observance, parallels Babylon’s ancient attempt to control conscience through outward displays of loyalty.
The doctrine of Mary is one of the most prominent and far-reaching teachings in Roman Catholicism. The Church upholds four major Marian doctrines: the Immaculate Conception, her bodily Assumption into heaven, her exaltation as the “Queen of Heaven,” and her intercessory role on behalf of sinners before God. Together, these teachings elevate Mary to a position that, in practice, exalts her to a position worthy of veneration. This belief forms a central pillar of Catholic devotion.
However, these doctrines stand in clear contradiction to the plain teachings of Scripture. The Bible affirms that Jesus Christ alone is the “one mediator between God and men” (1 Timothy 2:5). Jesus alone is our Advocate when we sin (1 John 2:1). Jesus alone sits at the right hand of God, continually interceding for humanity (Romans 8:34). It is His sacrifice on the cross and His ongoing heavenly ministry that constitute the greatest work in the history of the universe. Christ—not Mary—is the true Redeemer, the greatest influence in human history, and the One to whom all glory belongs.
“Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing. And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.” Revelation 5:12–13.
Mary was not slain for the sins of the world, nor does she intercede for us before God—Scripture never teaches such a role. To attribute to Mary the titles, positions, and functions that belong exclusively to Jesus is to diminish the honor and glory that are His alone. This distortion is a powerful deception, and multitudes are being led into a snare that draws their devotion away from the only Savior—Jesus Christ. And this new monument—along with the growing public homage to Mary—is conditioning society to accept a system in which human decrees override the commandments of God. Ultimately, these developments are paving the way for the final great conflict between true and false worship.
0
0
0
Leave a Reply